Breech-loading fire-arm



(No Model.)

. 2 Shets-Shet `1. H. WATKEYS. BREEH LOADING FIRE ARM.

No. 246,052. PatntedAug. 23,1881.

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HENRY WATKEYS, OF SYRAOUSE, NEW YORK.

BREECH-LOADING lFIRE-ARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 246,052, `dated August 23, 1881.

' Application led September 25, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY Wnrxnvs, of' Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new' and useful Improvements in Breech-Loading Fire- Arms, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to simple, sate, durable, and effective means of locking a hinged barrel in its operative position on the stock, as hereinafter fully described, and specically set forth in the claims.

In 'the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are longitudinal sections of a breechloading gun provided with my improvements, and showing the relative position and action of the respective elements of the invention. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line x in Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a transverse section on lineyg/ in Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a rear-end view of the barrel. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are a plan view, inverted view, and side view, respectively, ot' the extractor. Figs. 9 and 10 are detached side and bottom views, respectively, of the plug or bolt by which the barrel is locked in its operative position. Figs. 11 and 12 are front and rear end views, respectively, of the aforesaid plug or bolt;` and Fig. 13 is an enlarged longitudinal section of my invention, illustrating certain modifications in its construction.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A denotes the stock of the gun, having the forward extension, C, usually termed breechextensiom7 to the extremity of which is hinged the barrel B, said hinged connection consisting of a segmental shoulder, m, formed in the mortise K of the breech-extension O, and a lug, h, on the under side of the barrel, having a corresponding segmental recess, t", bearing on the shoulder m. Back of the described hinge are two hooks, DV and E, formed, respectively, by a rigid downward and forward projection on the under side of the barrel, and a rigid bridge With a rearward projection in the usual mortise, K, in the breech-extension C, said hooks interlocking when the barrel is tilted, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and forming a simple, reliable, and durable means for limiting the said motion of the barrel. The stock is provided with a cylindrical chamber,

d, directly back of and in line with the barrel. In said chamber is fitted to slide a cylindrical plug', a, havingits forward end fitted to the rear end of the barrel by an annular concaveconvex joint, as best seen in Fig. 13 of the drawings, so as to effectually close the bore and at the same time confine the barrel in its normal or operative position on the stock. The described concavo-convexjoint of the plug and barrel allows for the wear of the hingeconnection of the barrel and stock and the wear ofthe mechanism actuating the plug, so that in case the said parts fail to operate in exact unison with each other the barrel cannot become bound on the end of the plug, which would be the case were the aforesaid joint made conical or with a uniform bevel.

The plug a is moved longitudinally and caused to either engage or release the barrel by means of a lever, L, pivoted to the stock, and having an arm, l, enteringa mortise, c,in the plug. A tapered or wedge-shaped tongue, c, hinged to the lever L, back of the fulcrum thereof, is forced between the rear end of the plug and the adjacent end of the chamber el by means of said lever, when operated to move the plug forward to engage the rear end of' the barrel, said tongue serving as a backing to resist the rebound of the plug a when the gun is discharged. Automatically with the reverse movement ofthe lever L, and the consequent rearward movement of the plug a, the tongue c is withdrawn from behind the plug. The mortise 'U in the plug is of such length as to allow the arm l to play therein without disturbing the plug until the tongue c is sufficiently withdrawn to admit of the movement of the plug. The wear and abrasion of the tongue c, and that of the surfaces adjacent thereto,is compensated by a liner or gib, e, applied to either the end of the plug, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, or to theend face of the chamber d, as illustrated in Fig. 13 of the drawings.

g denotes the firing-pin passing through a channel, f, extended longitudinally through the plug a, and in proper position to receive the stroke of the hammer at its rear end and strike with its forward extremity the priming of the cartridge or shell.

n represents the extractor, having its rear end of the usual form, adapted to engage the peripheral iiauge at the rear end of the cartridge or shell. The extractor has a forwardextended bar, a', by which it slides longitudinally in a channel, o, formedin a downward projection on the ginder side of 'the barrel B. A link or rod, r, 1s connected at one end dif reetly to the extractor-bar, and at the opposite end to a iixed point in the stock back of the breech. This direct connection ofthe link r with the extractor, and the relative position ofthe connections of said plink, throws the la-tterinto such an angle by the tilting of the barrel as to cause the link to not only draw the extractor rearward, but also push thesame forward automatically with the tilting ot' the barrel, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

l am aware of the prior use ot' the link r in combination with an extra sliding block for forcing the extractor rearward, and a spiral spring for drawing the extractor forward; but the device which I have herein described and shown in the drawings differs from such a contriv'ance in that it dispenses with both the extra sliding-block and the spiral spring, thus materiallysimpliiyingand cheapening the construction, and at the same time rendering the acton of the extractor more positive and durable. 1

To further simplify the construction and dispense with the employment ot' an extra pin for the connection of the rear, end ofthe link hinged barrel in its operative position on the stock by means of a plug entering the breech of the barrel, and therefore do not claim, broadly, such a device; but

Ihat I do claim as my improvements arel. In Ycombination with the hinged barrelB, Y

the stock A, provided with the chamber d, the sliding plug a., provided with the elongated mortise e, the lever L, having the arm l, playing in the mortise fv, and the tongue o, hinged to the lever L, and sliding between the rear end of the plug and end of chamber d,\all arranged and operating substantially in the manner shown and set forth.

2.- The combination, with the stock A, sliding plug d, and tongue c, of the liner or gib e, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name and affixed my seal, in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, this 23d day ot' August, 1880.

HENRY W'ATKEYS.

Witnesses E. LAAss, WM. C. RAYMOND. 

